Telephone-exchange system and apparatus



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TELEPHONE EXCHANGE SYSTEM AND APPARATUS. No. 245,834.

Patented Aug. 16,1881.-

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

CHARLES E. JONES AND IVILLIAM H. JONES, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

TELEPHONE-EXCHANGE SYSTEM AND APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 245,834, dated August 16, 1881.

Application filed May 27,1881. (No model.)

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that we, CHARLES E. JONES and WILLIAM H. JONES, of Cincinnati, Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telephone-Exchange Systems and Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation of one of the tables of our system 5 Fig. 2, a diagram showing arrangement of transfer-wires between tables in a system having four tables; and Fig. 3 is a plan of an exchange with four tables fitted to work on our system.

In Fig. 1, as shown, the table is provided with forty annunciator-drops, F, there being one for each service or subscribers line. A, B, and C are annunciator-drops on transferlines leading from the three other tables which we assume to be used in the system. H is the table-telephone, I the table-transmitter, and G a flexible cord used for connecting the table with a service-line, with a transfer-line for connecting two service-lines, or a service-line to a transfer-line.

In an exchange we set the tables side by side and bring to each table as many servicelines as its attendant can attend to. The attendant is at once operator and switchman. We will call him operator. We name thetables after colors, and thus have red table, blue table, &c.

As shown in Fig. 2, each pair of tables in the system is connected by transfer-linesT. These lines, as stated, have drops A, B, C, 850., colored to indicate the table to which they connect. Each table is provided with apparatus for serving its wires-to wit, a signaling-generator, a telephonic apparatus, and a means for switching the various lines and circuits.

1n Fig. 3 we show four tables, each with a group, 1, of service-lines, and each with a drop for a transfer-line, T, to each other table. The details of table-circuits, 850., are shown in connection with the black table. On this table we follow in detail one of the service-lines. 1'

is the group of service-lines, and 2 is the one followed in detail in the drawings. The service-line 2 goes to annunciator-drop 3, thence to spring-jack 11, thence by contact 4 to line 6 and to earth.

fitted to receive one end of the cord G.

Gr is a flexible cord, plugged at each end as usual. 7 is a socket or connection-receiver The circuit from this socket is to switch 8. This switch, if turned to the right, puts the circuit through generator 9, thence to earth. It turned to the left the circuit is to earth through telephone H. If one end of cord G be inserted under spring-jack l1, 5 being a simple abutment for the cord-plug, the contact I will be opened, and the circuit of the service-line 2 is thus diverted from its normal earth-connection to the cord itself. The other end of the cord being inserted in socket 7, brings the circuit of the serviceline 2 under control of switch 8, whereby in an obvious manner calls maybe sent by the generator 9, or conversation carried on by means of telephone H.

All circuits for the service-lines are like that shown for line 2, and the cord G can obviously be used to connect any two of the service-lines on this table by inserting the cord-plugs under the proper springjacks.

Each service-line has an open tap-line, 24, and open button-switch II. It line 2 be corded to another line the operator may, by pressing switch 11, put the lap-line to ground through his telephone, as shown, and thus overhear without interrupting.

The black table has the three transfer-drops Q, R S, Q being the one for the red table, its circuit being shown in detail. The circuit is from red table by transferwire; thence through drop Q to spring-jack thence by contact 12 to switch 13; thence normally to ground through contact 14. This switch 13, being put to the right, breaks ground-contact 14. and puts the transfer to generator 9 through line 16. Turned to the left it puts theline through line 17 through telephone in an obvious manner. Cord G can be inserted at E and circuit put to socket'to a service-line, or to one of the other transfer-lines.

If operator gets call for line on red table he sends call-current to red table through drop Q, 850., and cords the calling-line tothe drop Q, which thus turns the calling-line over to the red table to be served. There is no switchman, or separate switch-board, or ticket-carrier, or listening operator on special transfercircuit, or any complexity whatever. The attention of the wanted table is called and the calling service-lineis plugged to the transferline. There may be more transfer-line's, if needed, so that several connections between tables may be made; and, if desired, simple transfer-lines between tables may be used to connect parties after arrangements are entered into by the two operators talking over the transfer-line in an obvious manner. By using ticket-boys, or by ordinary talk between operators, the calling-line may be corded to=c0nmotion-receiver E without any signaling over the transfer-lines. In such case the transfer lines would terminate in simple connection-receivers and have no earth-connection.

Under this system four operators manage four groups of service-lines.

Much has been described, for the sake of clearness, which is not new. Much in connection with the table-circuit will be found set forth in Letters Patent No. 234,192, granted to us November 9, 1880, and also in Letters Patent No. 285,056, granted November 30, 1880, to James W. See. In the details shown we involve many features set forth in both these patents; but we do not wish to confine ourselves to those details where our present invention will work in connection with other contrivances.

Our system, as claimed, may be used in connection with crossbar switch-boards, and, obviously, We do not wish to limit ourselves to the flexible cord G as a connecting medium between lines, 810.

Our present invention is set forth in the claims, and it is a valuable accessory to many different arrangements of table-circuits and apparatus.

We claim as our invention- 1. The combination, in a telephone-exchange, of a series of operators tables, a group of service-lines leading to each table, an annunciator and connection-receiveri'oreach serviceline, a telephone at each table, a generatorwire at each table, transfer-wires connecting the tables in pairs, connection-receivers at the terminals of the transfer-lines, a means for connecting any of said connection-receivers, and a switch to shift the course of the table-circuit.

2. The combination,in atelephone-exchange, of a series of operators tables, a. group of service-lines leading to each table, an annunciator and connection-receiver for each serviceline, a telephone at each table, a generatorwire at each table, transfer-wires connecting the tables in pairs, annunciators and connection-receivers at the terminals of the transferlines, a means for connecting any of said connection-receivers, and a switch to shift the course of the table-circuits.

3. The combination, in a telephone-exchange, of a series of operators tables, a group of service-lines leading to each table, an annunciator and connection-receiver for each serviceline, a telephone at each table, a generatorwire at each table, transfer-wires connecting the tables in pairs, annunciators at the terminals of said transfer-lines, switches at the terminals of the said transfer-lines, connections from said switches to said telephone and generator, a means for connecting connectionreceivers, con nection'receivers at the terminals of said transfer-lines, andaswitch to shiftthe course of the table-circuits.

4. The method of serving lines on separate tables, which consists in answering the calling-line by means of the machinery of its table, connecting the calling-line to one terminal of a branchless transfer-line leadingto the table having the wanted line, calling the wanted line by means of the machinery of its table, and, finally, connecting the other terminal of said transfer-line to said wanted line, substantially in the manner specified.

CHARLES E. JONES. WILLIAM H. JONES.

Witnesses J OHN Q. PORTER, J. W. SEE. 

